Well-drilling machine



Aug. 3 1926.

WELL DRILLING MACHINE Filed Jan. :26, I925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

fiarniisofl 5. 1,0156 BY Aug. 3, 1926. 1,594,781

1-1. B. LAMB WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

Filed Jan. 26, 25 2 She eta-Sheet '2 Fly. ,4

ATTORNEY! Haw/V1900 5. L0 6 Patented Aug. 3, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRISON BLAIIIE LAMB, OF BURKBURNETT, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO MAGNOLI'A PETROLEUM COMPANY, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS, A JOINT STOCK COMPANY- WELL-DRILLING MACHINE.

Application filed January The present invention relates to improvements in machines for drilling and cleaning out wells, for pulling rods, tools, and tubes therefrom, and for setting tubes and liners.

An object of the invention is to provide a mechanism which is relatively light in weight and simple in construction, whereby it may be conveniently transported, and

such as is ordinarily employed in connection with the work for which the'machine is intended.

Mechanism of this general character is old and well known in the art, and ordinarily comprises a tower or mast upon which is pivotally mounted a lever, known as a walking beam, which is oscillated in a vertical plane by suitable power mechanism in order to reciprocate the operating cable. The present invention relates primarily to the mechanism for imparting the desired movement to the walking beam.

In the accompanying drawings there is illustrated one embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view.

Fig. 3 is 'an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view showing the operating mechanism for the walking beam more clearly, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, 10 indicatesa tower or mast of ordinary construction having the usual side uprights 10 and cross 'girts 11, and maintainederect by guy ropes 11 connected thereto at its upper end. Bearing brackets 12 detachably secured to the mast by bolts 13 serve to support a shaft 14 carrying a lever arm 15, which serves as the walking beam, and is adapted to be oscillated in a vertical plane by mechanism mounted upon the mast, preferably below the beam.

This mechanism comprises a horizontal drive shaft 16 which may be rotated through a gear element, such as a sprocket wheel 17 fixedly secured upon the. shaft by a key 18. The shaft 16 is mounted in brackets 19 which may be quickly secured to the mast by bolts 20 which extend through openings 20 (Figure 3), the openings being considerabl larger than the bolts to permit vertical ad readily set up for use upon a tower or mast,

26, 1925. Serial No. 4,882.

justment of the brackets. The bolts 20 serve to clamp the brackets in position, and I are assisted in their supporting action by means of vertically extending bolts 21 which pass through one of the cross girts, and, at thelr lower ends, have eyes which receive the bolts 20. Adjustments of the nuts 21 upon the ends of the bolts 21 will move the brackets upwardly or downwardly, as may be desired, for the purpose of maintaining a proper relation between the drive shaft 16 and a countershaft 22, the two shafts being connected preferably by a sprocket chain 23, which traverses a sprocket 24 upon the countershaft and a sprocket wheel 25 keyed to the drive shaft 16. It will be understood that the chain 23 may be maintained suitably tight by adjusting the brackets 19 through the bolts 21. The countershaft 22 is mounted in bearing brackets 26 detachably secured to the mast by means of bolts 27, and carries an eccentric 28 fixedly secured to the countershaft, as by a key 29. The eccentric is connected to the walking beam by a cable 30, one end of which encircles the eccentric and is secured by a clip 31. The other end extends through a 100 32 upon the walking beam and is clippe engagement.. The loop 32 may be held against movement longitudinally of the beam by means of substantially U-shaped clamps 33 which permit pivotal movement of the clip 32. The cable afi'ords a flexible connection between the eccentric and the walking beam, and the range of movement imparted to the beam may be varied by adjusting the connecting loop 32 longitudinally of the beam. It will be clear that rotation of the drive at 33 to prevent disshaft 16 will impart motion to the eccentric 28 through the chain and sprocket connection between the two shafts, and thereby the walking beam is oscillated in a vertical plane. The drive and countershafts, and the walking beam shaft as well, may-be quickly secured to a mast, and, due to the sim licity of the mechanism, may be conveniently transported for use at any desired location.

From the walking beam :1 cable 34 extends upwardly over a sheave 35, and then downwardly on the opposite side of the mast, where it may be connected, as at 36, to a tool carrying cable 37 which extends over the'usual sheave 38 at the top of the mast, and may be wound upon and unwound from a drum 39. The winding drum 39, in the present instance, is not mounted upon the mast, but upon a movable power unit which, for example, is a tractor of the F ordson type. The drum is positioned upon forwardly extending arms 41, and it may be driven from the motor by means of a belt 42 which extends over a pulley 43 associated with the drum. The tractor carries a shaft 44 driven through a belt 45 from the motor, and, through a sprocket chain 46, the power unit serves to operate the drive shaft 16"on the mast.

When the device is to be used for a drilling operation, the upper end of the well pipe being indicated at W, the cable 34 is connected at 36, for "example, to the tool cable 37, and operation of the walking beam actuating mechanism from the tractor will result in raising and lowering the tool cable through the cable 34, which connects the walking beam with the tool cable 37.

When rods or tubes are to be ulled from the well, the cable 34 may be isconnected from the cable 37, and the shaft 44 upon the tractor is disconnected from the power unit by suitable clutch mechanism (not shown). The drum 39 may be operated through belt 42 from the motor to raise and lower the cable 37' in the well.

A particular advantage of the mechanism illustrated and described is its simplicity, which results in a machine comparatively light in weight, and adapted to be readily transported and easily taken down and set up for use.

The chain and sprocket connections between the tractor and drive shaft 16, and between the drive and countershafts are advantageous, since it is not necessary to set up the parts in accurate relation, as would be required in a machine comprising relatively large driving gears. Moreover, the 'flexible cable connection between the eccentric and the walking beam and any needed adjustments may be quickly made by an unskilled mechanic.

It should be understood that numerousv changes may be made in the construction ilprising a mast, a walking beam pivotallymounted on said mast, and means for 0s c1llat1n said beam COIIIPIlSlIlg a horizontal drive s aft on the mast, a sprocket on said shaft whereby the same may be driven from a suitable source of power, a horizontal counter-shaft on the mast vertically spaced from the drive shaft and paralleling the latter, chain and sprocket driving connections between said drive shaft and said counter shaft, an eccentric fixedly mounted on the counter shaft, and an adjustable cable connection between said eccentric and said walking beam. I

2. A device ofthe class described comprising a mast, a walking beam pivotally mounted on said mast, and means for oscillatin said beam comprising a horizontal drive shaft on the mast, a sprocket on said shaft whereby the same may be driven from 30 a suitable source of power, a horizontal counter shaft on the mast vertically spaced from the drive shaft and paralleling the latter, chain and sprocket driving connections between said drive shaft and said counter shaft, an eccentric fixedly mounted on the counter shaft, and an adjustable cable connection between said eccentric and said walking beam, and means for vertically adjusting one of said shafts whereby to tighten said chain and sprocket connections.

3. A device of the class described comprising a mast, a walkin beam pivotally mounted on said mast, an means for oscillating said beam comprising a horizontal drive shaft on the mast, a sprocket on said shaft whereby the same may be driven from a suitable source of power, a horizontal counter shaft on the/mast s aced from the drive shaft and paralleling t e latter, chain and sprocket driving connections between said-drive shaft and said counter shaft, an eccentric fixedly mounted on the counter shaft, and an adjustable cable connection between said eccentric and said walking beam, and a pair of sheaves above said walking beam, one having a cable passin thereover from said walking beam to which it is connected.

v A device of the class described comprising a mast, a walking beam on said mast, and means for oscillating said beam comprising a horizontal drive shaft mounted in earings on one side of the mast, a sprocket on said shaft whereby the same may be driven from a suitable source of power, a counter shaft on the opposite side of the mast paralleling the drive shaft and vertically spaced therefrom,chain and sprocket driving connections between said drive and counter shafts, an eccentric onsaid counter shaft, and an adjustable cable connection between said eccentric and the walking beam.

5..A device ofthe class described comprising a mast, a walking beam on said mast, a sheave above said walking beam and means for oscillating said beam comprising a horizontal drive shaft mounted in hearings on one side of the mast, a sprocket on said shaft whereby the same may be driven from a suitablesource of power, a counter-shaft on the opposite side of the mast paralleling the drive shaft and vertically spaced therefrom, chain and sprocket driving connections between said drive and counter shafts, an eccentric on said counter shaft and an adjustable cable connection between said eccentric and the walking beam, said sheave, Walking beam and eccentric being arranged in substantially the same vertical plane, and a cable connected to said walking beam extending upwardly over said sheave.

6. A device of the class described comprising a mast, a walking beam on said mast, a sheave above said walking beam and means for oscillating said beam comprising a horizontal drive shaft mounted in hearings on one side of the mast, a sprocket on said shaft whereby the same may be drlven from a suitable source of power, a counter shaft on the opposite side of the mast paralleling the drive shaft and vertically spaced therefrom, chain and sprocket driving connections between said drive and counter shafts, an eccentric on said counter shaft, and an adjustable cable connection between said eccentric and the walking beam, said sheave, walking beam and eccentric being arranged in substantially' the same vertical plane, and a cable connected to said walking beam extending upwardly over said sheave, and means for vertically adjusting one of said shafts to tighten said chain and sprocket connections therebetween.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

' HARRISON BLAINE LAMB. 

